BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - Deontay Greenberry was a 5-star recruit, a Mr. Football in the state of California that every school in the country wanted.

Houston got him.

Greenberry was committed to Notre Dame, but his relationship with Houston assistant coach Jamie Christian helped get him to campus for an official visit late in the process before National Signing Day in 2012.

"I took my visit out here right before signing day and fell in love with the place immediately and signed the LOI," Greenberry said.

Greenberry has lived up to his 5-star billing. The first 5-star recruit and the highest-rated recruit to ever sign with Houston, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound Greenberry caught 76 passes for 1,106 yards and 10 touchdowns as a sophomore.

Last year, he caught 47 passes for 569 yards and three touchdowns. During the offseason, Houston coaches moved him from outside receiver to inside in order to take advantage of certain coverages.

"The mismatches we feel like we have with him inside on strong safeties and linebackers, not only in the pass game but in blocking as well, has been very valuable for us," Houston head coach Tony Levine said.

Greenberry got his introduction to big-time football last year, when he would be matched up against cornerback D.J. Hayden - a future first-round NFL Draft pick by the Oakland Raiders - in practice.

"I tried to come in and just go off pure talent," Greenberry said. "There was something things he would jump on, and I had to correct for the next practice.

"It helped me out a lot. It helps me know where I'm at and where I want to go."

Levine said that coaches preach to players how they have to become an expert at their position, and Greenberry has certainly done that in the offseason and summer leading into this season, his sophomore year.

"My focus is a lot better," Greenberry said. "I would say I'm more coachable. Not saying I wasn't coachable at first, but I'm really taking and hearing what the coaches are telling us. Every little thing matters."

He's also helped freshman quarterback John O'Kornexcel early in his career. O'Korn was the American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year this season.

"You look at John O'Korn, Deontay's been kind of the guy he's leaned on to where if he has to have a guy make a play for us, he's going to throw it up to No. 3 and let him go up and get it," Levine said.

Greenberry missed a game at the end of the year with an ankle injury, but he said he's been rehabbing it and will play on Saturday.